Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Bruce Sandison - Rivers and Lochs of Scotland

Well, this is my first book review and the fact that it is to be about a book by such an esteemed author as Bruce Sandison should speak volumes in itself.

The book Rivers and Lochs of Scotland is a definitive and absolute factual compendium of information for any angler who lives in or wishes to visit Scotland for some " wild or not so wild fishing ". It is an update of Bruce's previous book of the same title and has been hailed by many as the " Bible " for fishing in Scotland.

I could waffle on and wax lyrical about this book but feel the best way to give the prospective wild fishing angler in Scotland a grasp of this book is to provide a couple of extracts from the foreword to the book as written by Michael Wigan.

" There are some subjects that dedicated writers make their own. Mention trout lochs in Scotland and the name of Bruce Sandison jumps to mind. It is his precinct completely. "

" This book will not be superseded. And if you catch more fish on the west shore when Bruce said the east was best, if you successfully fish the loch clockwise instead of widdershins as he suggested, remember: nothing stays the same. Fish surprise. Even that fishless loch could one day be stocked.

So if one day you are wading the shore of some faraway loch and you find fishing towards you a tall, hatless, weather-beaten man projecting line like an arrow into the wind, pass by on the landward side, and tip your bonnet to our long-time guardian of the wild waters. "

So, should you require a definitive guide to fishing in Scotland with loch and river information, which flies to use, where to get permits or local information on your chosen location, look no further than Rivers and Lochs of Scotland by Bruce Sandison.

In his own words and introduction to the book, Bruce thanks everyone who has helped in some part in it's production and cites: " riparian owners, angling clubs and associations, individual anglers and Fred Carrie's excellent Wild Fishing Scotland site at http://www.wild-fishing-scotland.co.uk/ where he again thanks the members of the Wild Fishing Scotland forum for their support and unfailing courtesy "

About the Author: Bruce Sandison is a highly respected writer, journalist and author of various books, including the definitive anglers' guide, The Rivers and Lochs of Scotland. He has contributed to most angling magazines over the years and his work has also appeared in a wide range of UK newspapers and journals, and on BBC radio and television.